The research team from Tianjin University, led by Professor Ye Sheng, found that lactate produced by cancer cells, even under conditions of sufficient oxygen, not only fuels tumour growth but also suppresses the body’s immune response. This is reported by
CGTN, a partner of TV BRICS.

Following lactate production, the monocarboxylate transporter (MCT1) plays a pivotal role in lactate transport. MCT1 exports lactate from cancer cells to maintain intracellular pH balance while delivering energy to neighboring tumor cells.

Scientists were able to decipher the mechanism of MCT1 and found that its efficiency depends on the precise interaction of amino acids. Based on this discovery, they identified silybin, a natural compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine that blocks MCT1.

In laboratory experiments, silybin was shown to suppress tumour growth in both cell cultures and animal models, indicating its potential as a promising anti-cancer agent, Professor Ye Sheng.

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